Mission Impossible

Sure feels like the tropics around here. Wouldn't be surprised to see palm trees lining the roads soon.

We're back home after our annual camping trip. To Pittsfield State Forest. Five miles away. Makes it easy if you forget something (flashlight) and can run home and get it. Makes it easy if there's thunderstorms (at 6-ish this morning) and can run home for proper shelter. But we made it through the night.

You ask why? Well, Annie had invited some friends for Saturday night and we offered to get out of their hair. They went to Tanglewood for music and we went to the woods for the music of the roaring brook by our tent.  Mary got there after dark so the tent was already set up. She claims she had a swim meet in Connecticut somewhere but I just don't know.

Another busy week at the Hancock Road B&B as Charlie and Annie came over for a night and we were changing the sheets when Annie's friends arrived.

If our week was busy, I'm not sure how you describe Joe's. Mission Impossible, perhaps. He accompanied Secretary Yellen on her trip to China (see NYT photo) and after four days of meetings and jet lag, boarded planes for Brazil. He had one day to adjust when the movers showed up and then three days of packing out. I bet Thomas and company were a big help too. They leave tomorrow, for Portugal. He'll have a short vacation there and return. Leonor and the children stay until mid-August when they return, with Leonor's mother. Are you exhausted reading this? We barely remember doing these moves, but we never had to contend with relocating across four continents.

Did you all have a memorable 4th? So did we. Parade and fireworks and rain and barbecue. We had invited over the two Afghan families we're tutoring. Not sure we get high marks for cultural sensitivity as we had planned on a barbecue of burgers and chicken until someone reminded us they only eat halal meat. So with no halal butcher for fifty miles, we grilled fish. And it rained on and off. But we all managed.

To round out Simon's stay up here (and Margaret and Andrew) we headed to our old Rhode Island beach haunts for a couple of nights. The excuse was Kathleen Boyle's baby shower so we extended it. And well worth it. Simon loves the beach and sand.  We saw almost all the Dan Boyle family which was nice too. Kathleen is due on August.

John Boyle stopped in this week. He had come up from Florida for the funeral of a friend and we compared heat notes. Florida beats the Berkshires hands down.

Out in Fairport, Paula is home and looking at a long recovery. But she's home and has an attentive care giver.

If you're on Facebook, you saw Peter and Janet's new dog. We should hear all about it later this week.

This WEEK! Yes, it's here. Thursday night we'll see everyone in our own compound of cabins. Hope the weather cooperates.

Old news. Billy has been coaching a girls baseball team. With Elliot. Player-coach team! Here's a photo of her holding her rapidly growing younger brother Theo.

Not old news. Happy birthday to Andrew and Annie. I know we had a festive day here; how bout in Illinois?

The rain has started coming down in buckets. Sure glad I'm not in a tent.

Love from up here. And see you Thursday.